Every Picture Is a Compromise
Lessons from the Also-rans
Most photography websites show the photographer's very best work. Wonderful. But that's not the full story of a creative life. If we want to learn, we'd better pay attention to the images that aren't "greatest hits" and see what lessons they have to offer. Every picture is a compromise — the sum of its parts, optical, technical, visual, emotional, and even cosmic – well, maybe not cosmic, but sometimes spiritual. Success on all fronts is rare. It's ok to learn from those that are not our best.
This is a series about my also-rans, some of which I've been able to improve at bit (i.e., "best effort"), none of which I would consider my best. With each there are lessons worth sharing, so I will.
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Original digital capture
On Second Thought . . .
When I'm out photographing, I'm "gathering assets" for future projects that will be developed back in my studio. That means that field work is often just responding to what I see and feel. I've learned, however, that my first response is not always my best. This week will be examples where I had second thoughts in the field — and am so glad that I did.
What I saw that I liked:
A tight circle of horsetails surrounding a cluster of reeds. Sweet.
What I don't like in the picture:
My inclination when composing is to take my clues from the subject. I shot the horizontal shot above because the reeds seemed a bit of a horizontal rectangle.
What I learned:
What I ignored was the effort of growth in those reeds as they reached up for the light. A quick recomposition as a vertical gave me the image I felt, rather than the image I saw. When you have a choice, always go with your feelings. |
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